What I learnt finishing a marathon.
I ran a marathon.
During my run I consolidated three learnings:
Every journey begins with one step
Small objectives lead to big goals
Trust yourself
I was in high sprints.
Adrenaline got me frantically to where I would start my run.
I knew my goal was to run a marathon. It was only when I finished up the last stretches that I contemplated what this actually meant.
I set this goal 3 months ago, from the comfort of my home, where it was warm and safe. Now as I stood over the start line where the undertones of anxiety bubbled up.
I was prepared for this- I took a breath in and remembered my training.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”- Lao Tzu.
I learned that with some goals you just have to focus on moving and not attach so much weight to the end destination. Big goals are meant to be intimidating- but not hinder your efforts in getting there.
My marathon began at 3.30 am.
The moon conspired with the lamp-posts to guide me through my first 10km.
Pursuing something that was becoming a reality was exhilarating and my pace reflected it. The endorphins caused my focus to drift and I did not regulate my tempo.
In this state, my mind was grateful that I was finally doing something I had always wanted to do.
For the longest time, I never committed to this goal. I let myself live in a realm of possibilities. In truth, I was never committed to a marathon because I did not want to face the reality that I might not be able to achieve the goal. I went as far as disguising my fear by saying “it doesn’t appeal to me right now” or “I don’t have the time”. And so I always had an excuse.
I chuckled at that thought which brought me back to what I was doing, running.
I slowed down my pace and looked at my wrist. On it, I’d written down 3 landmarks that I was going to pass. This was a tool inspired by Rick Roll who suggested when running large distances, you have to set small objectives to build momentum toward the ultimate goal.
I implemented his advice by splitting my run into 3 stages. Each stage would be a landmark, such as a bridge or building, to represent my progress. Why 3 stages? Because anything that comes in threes is inherently more satisfying.
Setting small objectives isn’t some intellectual idea. It is just a strategy to gain control over the mind. So when it begins to wander you have a strategy in place to hold the reins on it.
Setting small objectives only works if you treat them as the goal itself. As in, putting the same amount of attention and focus you would as if you were achieving the bigger goal.
If it means something to you, treat it with respect. Take it seriously. Stop treating your goals carelessly out of fear of never living up to it. At least by going for it you will be much further from where you started.
Despite being guilty of making the classic rookie mistake of starting too fast, my only focus was on reaching my first landmark. Although my legs were already showing signs of fatigue, I understood that this was my mind trying to protect me- to keep me safe from the possibility of failure.
As I approached stage 1 I whispered to myself, “how many times have you started a goal to never finish it?”
As the sun grew, I knew that no matter what, even if ended up walking, I was going to complete the 42km.
I closed off the section of my brain that considered the full distance.
I only focused on small achievable micro goals. I gritted my teeth and focused on my stride, how my feet hit the floor and how heavy I was breathing. I gave my small objectives the respect they deserved. This required me to trust the process and not get overwhelmed. To trust the work I put in.
And before I knew it I passed stage 2.
I thought back to how this all began.
We always think life rides on making big decisions.
When it is the small little actions that guide us to our big achievements.
If I never picked up my shoes and had simply gone for a short run, I would have given my mind an excuse as to why I am not reaching my potential.
The excuse? I can never fail if I never really tried.
That's unrealised potential.
When pursuing a goal there is a gap between reality and assumptions. The more ambiguity in how to achieve the goal, the larger the gap. This is because if you can’t understand it or haven't experienced it, your mind will tend toward safety. This is to prevent you from potential pain.
But my main ‘why’ for running a marathon was to build my mental resilience. Thankfully I saw this as just another challenge to overcome.
This experience taught me the importance of putting theory to practice.
I thought I knew what it meant to push through your limitations. I thought when it came to it, I could just push the negativity away.
Setting small micro-goals helped me dial in but it was still up to me to focus and push through the pain.
This made me reflect on how many self-help/ motivational books I’ve consumed but never put into practice. Until you act, all those tools are just ideas. They become a tool when you use them to achieve something. Till then you can’t call on them unless you have put them to the test.
Approaching stage 3 I could not remember any of the tools I had read about. I could not remember any advice that I studied. And that was okay.
It was just me and my mind.
I smiled because for the first time I found a silent but powerful strength. It told me that as much as we think we need more information to gain clarity in our lives, most of the time all we need to do is take a step towards what we want.
When you are out there, grinding and working on yourself, it is you who gets you over the finish line. Not some book that you read. That may kickstart your journey and help guide you. But it is you who has to put in the work, put in the time, and make sacrifices to stay consistent.
Before I began training I had the preconceived idea that I could not run further than 30km. Here I was just about to complete my marathon, in a near sprint, radiating pure ecstasy of life.
I became my hype crew. I was the support I needed. It was all within me.
Though it was just another Sunday for others, I blitz to the finish line and completed my marathon.
I was proud I saw my goal to its conclusion.
